The Alpha's Daydream ✔️

Chapter 16

4542 words

Malachi couldn't bear to see Ariella in so much pain. It went against every instinct within him, to see his mate going through this.

But what could he do? The pain was all because of him. All he'd ever wanted was to treat his mate right and be everything she needed, but right away he'd messed up and caused her to be in this pain, this heat that ravaged her body with desire and torture. He'd barely known her for long, and already he'd failed her.

As soon as he met her, he found himself fighting two halves of himself. One was the dominant Alpha, wanting to mark and claim Ariella as his for all the wolves to see. The other was more tender, careful. Hesitant to touch such delicate beauty until she was ready. She was so young, and he was so dark. He didn't want to mar her purity in a way that would ruin her.

That's why he'd kept his distance when they'd first sensed each other across the borders of their territories. Malachi didn't want to force her into leaving her pack and family just for him. He wanted her, but not because he had a right to her. Ariella was his mate, his other half, but what would it take for her to understand his half and become okay with that? There was so much to him that he wanted to keep hidden, keep locked away from her goodness and light.

When he pulled her into his arms, feeling her hot skin trembling with each quiet sob, he couldn't help his heart syncing to her misery. She'd accused him of not caring, but she couldn't have been more wrong. She'd wondered if he didn't want her anymore, but nothing was further from the truth.

He did want her, but not now and not like this when the effect of the full moon was messing with the both of them.

"Malachi, what are you doing?" Ariella turned in his arms, her caramel brown eyes peering up at him, wide open and confusion creasing her brows. He could stare all night into those eyes and still remain lost in the living canvas of beauty. Even with tears glistening across them, her irises sparkled with mystery and intricacy.

"I'm not going to let you deal with this alone," his voice nearly cracked, but he buried his face in her hair and hoped she hadn't heard his vulnerability. His heart ached at seeing her like this.

"But you said—"

He ended her words with a gasp when he picked her up and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He knew of no proper cure besides mating to alleviate the effects of heat, but a simple remedy might help a bit. Carrying her toward his bathroom, Malachi ignored her protests of confusion. Like he wasn't confused enough himself to be able to explain anything to her. The warm body he carried in his arms thrummed against his chest, calling to him, whispering of delights and passions he'd never tasted. She was all his, and he was the one denying them both.

For her sake...

The young Alpha reminded himself even as she leaned back in his arms and studied his face with curiosity. Her eyes were narrowed, her brows scrunched in thought as her pretty peach-coloured lips were partly opened. Her warm breath trailed across his neck, teasing him of all that could be.

But he couldn't. He wouldn't do to her what he knew they'd both regret on the morrow.

So with no amount of ceremony, Malachi placed her in the bathtub and turned on the cold tap.

"What on earth?" She exclaimed and clawed for his arms, trying to jump out of the cold spray of the water.

"It will help the heat," he spoke in a rush, trying to ease her back down yet feeling awful about himself. Couldn't he do anything right?

When Ariella finally stopped trying to flee like a cat thrown into a pool, he turned and rummaged through the cabinet for a spare towel. When a piece of material hit his back and slipped to the floor, he spun and gasped at the sight of Ariella's bare legs. Such smooth skin, the curves of her thighs to her hips...